A big bowl of popcorn is always a tasty treat. But if you are looking for a healthy and quick snack, making popcorn with hot oil is not the best way to go; it can also be messy or time-consuming.
With a microwave popcorn popper, you can quickly pop a large amount of popcorn using hot air. No oil or butter is needed. However, if you love freshly buttered popcorn, microwave poppers still easily allow for butter to be used while popping.
Below we review the five best microwave popcorn poppers and highlight the features that ensure you will get fluffy and fully popped popcorn each time.
Ecolution Micro-Pop Glass Popcorn Popper
Overall this well-designed and durable popcorn popper from Ecolution ends up being our top pick.
This popper is available in two sizes and five colors for each size. The two sizes available are 1.5 Quart and 3 Quarts. The smaller size is perfect if you are only looking to make a small amount of popcorn or an amount for yourself.
The 3 Quart is considered family-size and holds a very generous amount of popcorn. The flexible silicone lid serves multiple purposes. It is designed to measure just the right amount of kernels.
Pour the kernels into the wide-mouthed microwave-safe glass container. Reseat the lid, and if you want, you can add butter to the lid, which slowly melts into the popcorn as it begins popping.
After approximately 3 minutes in your microwave, you now have perfectly popped and buttered popcorn. Now is the perfect time to season it to your liking.
You can also use this popper as a popcorn bowl, so you don't need to clean another bowl! Speaking of cleaning, all the components of this microwave popcorn popper are dishwasher safe.
HotPop Collapsible Microwave Popcorn Bowl
Made out of flexible and food-grade silicone, the HotPop is a great popcorn popper and very versatile.
You are able to pop up to 15 cups of popcorn, which is approximately 1 quart bigger than the largest Ecolution model. The HotPop comes with two parts, the container, and the lid.
To make popcorn place the kernels in the bottom of the container and place the lid over the unpopped kernels. As the kernels pop, the lid will be pushed upwards, allowing more room for popcorn, as well as preventing any popcorn from escaping.
The HotPop has cool-touch handles, meaning you can go directly from the microwave to the couch and use the container as a bowl.
If you are looking for a healthy version of popcorn, you can pop corn without oil or butter, as the circulating hot air from the microwave is more than enough energy to pop each kernel.
One of my favorite features about the HotPop is it is collapsible, which makes storage super easy! Cleanup is also a breeze, simply pop both pieces in the dishwasher or rinse with some warm soapy water.
Fourteen different colors are available.
Home-X Self Buttering Popcorn Popper
If you are looking for a tasty and quick snack, the Home-X self buttering popper is a great popcorn maker.
Similar to the Ecolution, this model allows you to melt butter directly into the popcorn as it is cooking.
Unfortunately, there are no other color options to choose from, and it is not collapsible. However, compared to other reviewed models, the Home-X is better for smaller microwaves because of its more petite size.
You only need approximately 3 minutes to have fully popped and buttered popcorn.
All components of this plastic popper are BPA free as well as dishwasher safe.
Nordic Ware Quick Pop Single Serve
This popper is a more conventional design, but because it is designed by Nordic Ware, a company that has been in business since 1946, you know you are getting a quality product.
Featuring a red or white bowl and a clear, vented cover, the Nordic Ware is available in three capacity sizes; 8, 12, or 16 cups. Make sure you get the size that best fits your needs (and your microwave).
Unlike other reviewed models, this popcorn popper is made in the USA. All components are made out of durable and high-density plastic and are microwave-safe and dishwasher-safe.
It is important to note that there are no heat-safe handles to easily remove the very hot popper from the microwave, unlike other reviewed models.
Make sure to use caution when removing this popper (or anything for that matter) from the microwave.
Presto PowerPop Multi-Popper
Presto's PowerPop is such a quality microwave popper that it is endorsed by the beloved popcorn brand Orville Redenbacher's.
You are getting a quality product when you buy the PowerPop.
What makes this design unique is the bowl's shape and the durable base it sits on. Called the PowerBase and PowerCup, each section is specially designed to combine and focus microwave energy directly into every kernel.
You can have tasty and fluffy popcorn in as little as two and a half minutes. The capacity of this model is 3 quarts and is only available in one color option.
I appreciate the handles on the edge of the bowl that makes removing the hot finished popcorn from the microwave very easy. The low profile and narrow width allow this popper to fit in most microwaves.
All components are easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
Buying Guide - How to find the best microwave popcorn popper for your needs
Now that you have read through our reviews, how do you know which microwave popcorn popper is best for you?
Below we go over some attributes that you should keep in mind when deciding which model you will buy.
Capacity:
First off, are you making popcorn for yourself, or a party or something in between. Make sure you get the capacity you need.
While you could make batch after batch for a large group, it is simply easier to make popcorn once. Most poppers top out at 3 quarts (12 cups) of popcorn, which is generally enough for a large family.
Material:
Secondly, any product you buy you want it to last. When you microwave something, it goes through a lot of temperature stress, and it can be tough on many materials.
You want to make sure that you buy a popper with very durable plastic that is safe to put in the microwave or, even better, a silicone or glass popper.
Dishwasher Safe?
Not many people enjoy doing dishes, and when you finish your tasty popcorn, you are not going to want to deal with a lot of cleanup.
All the models that we reviewed and most poppers, in general, are dishwasher-safe, which makes cleanup a breeze. Just make sure that ALL of the components are safe to put in the dishwasher.
Color Options:
While it may not be the most important aspect to consider when buying a microwave popper, it may still matter to you.
The Ecolution and HotPop both offer a wide range of color options.
